Various advanced high temperature components require varying high temperature properties and durability. Some systems use solid propellants while others use liquids. This includes aluminized (e.g., tantalum carbide suitable material) as well as non-aluminized propellant systems (Mo/Re, W—Re and Re alloys) as well. Material choices are therefore crucial. In either case, the components are subjected to extreme erosive conditions of heat (several thousands of deg F.) and flow velocity. Solutions generally require high performance refractory or refractory based ceramic composite materials with better durability, minimal number of processing steps, and high temperature strength/ductility properties and demand faster and cost-effective production processes.
Vapor deposition techniques are relatively slow and expensive and involve intermediate multi-steps to obtain the near net shape product. Plasma processes have porosity present inherently (e.g., 5 to 15% are typical). Conventional powder metallurgical pressing technology is limited by relatively lower compaction pressures (e.g., <50 tsi) that limits the densification process, with much higher part shrinkages requiring several post-process steps to improve the properties and obtain the final geometry.
The manufacture of the high temperature resistant refractory matrix materials such as Re or Re—W with Hf, Zr or ceramic carbides of Hf-and Ta, in near net shaping with improved properties and surface quality is challenging, time consuming, labor-intensive and costly which demand innovative manufacturing and strategies.
High temperature components have various shapes such as cylindrical disk, rings, plates, or hollow cylinder etc depending on the application. Some high temperature structural parts are made of carbon/carbon (C/C) or carbon/silicon carbide (C/SiC) composites due to their high temperature strength and lightweight properties. However, the oxidation behavior of C/C based composites at temperatures >450-500 deg C. still poses some limitations and demands alternate protective materials against oxidation and erosion.
There have been crucial needs to improve the durability and minimize the manufacturing time and cost in fabricating refractory disks used in the hot section catalyst bed plate components